Catalytic filamentous carbon: Structural and textural properties Original Research Article

Catalytic filamentous carbon (CFC) synthesized by the decomposition of methane over iron subgroup metal catalysts (Ni, Co, Fe or their alloys) is a new family of mesoporous carbon materials possessing the unique structural and textural properties. Microstructural properties of CFC (arrangement of the graphite planes in filaments) are shown to depend on the nature of catalyst for methane decomposition. These properties widely vary for different catalysts: the angle between graphite planes and the filament axis can be 0° (Fe–Co–Al2O3), 15° (Co–Al2O3), 45° (Ni–Al2O3), 90° (Ni–Cu–Al2O3). The textural properties of CFC depend both on the catalyst nature and the conditions of methane decomposition (T, °C). The micropore volume in CFC is very low, 0.001–0.022 cm3 g−1 at the total pore volume of 0.26–0.59 cm3 g−1. Nevertheless, the BET surface area may reach 318 m2 g−1. Results of the TEM (HRTEM), XRD, Raman spectroscopic, SEM and adsorption studies of the structural and textural properties of CFC are discussed.